St McCartan’s High Crosses

It is generally accepted that the early monastic site at Clogher was established in the 5th century by St Macartan , a follower of St Patrick. In the graveyard west of the St McCartan’s Cathedral, stand two sandstone crosses.

The larger, known as the south cross, rises to a height of 2.75 metres, though part of its shaft is now missing. On its east face, there are two rectangular panels adorned with a series of bosses, while the head displays a single central boss. The west face features two interlaced panels and another decorated boss set at the centre of the head. Both crosses have imperforate ringed heads with volute designs. Their bases are plain except for roll-moulding along the edges, a detail also found on the shafts’ edges.

The north cross reaches a height of 2.3 metres, though it too may lack a section of its shaft. Along the shaft’s west face appears a lozenge motif intricately filled with interlace, while the centre of the head contains a roundel, its central carving now softened and indistinct by time. On the east face, a square panel with decorative elements occupies the shaft. The head presents a striking lozenge shape, formed by four entwined creatures whose birdlike heads are positioned at the upper and lower points, with their legs curving outward along the arms of the cross. At the centre of this lozenge, a second, weathered carving remains discernible, though worn by centuries of exposure.